Last Tuesday, I went upstairs just to have some catchy talk with my best buddy. We're both majors in English and we love having a quality time chatting about the world of English language (ergo, we rock English!). He shared me of some high-fallutin' idiomatic expressions that I never heard of before. He was really making the negative comment whenever I choose the wrong idiom on his prepared quarterly exam. And with that idea, I am so imbibed to introduce to you some idiomatic expressions that we usually hear, read and experience while talking to somebody, or even reading a novel and of course, if it could happen, experiencing it.
By the way, what is an idiomatic expression?
IDIOM - came from the Latin word idioma, which means "special property. Also from the Greek word idioma, which means "special feature, special phrasing." Also idios, which means "one's own." (1) It is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the word which it is made. (2) An expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up.
a chip on your shoulder - being upset on something that happened in the past
A person who always has a chip on his shoulder cannot move forward to the future.
a doubting Thomas - a skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something.
I am so worried about your latest project that I am becoming a doubting Thomas.
all in the same boat - when everyone is facing the same challenge
All of the teachers are in the same boat, especially when finalizing their grades.
beat a dead horse - to force an issue that has already ended
The people in our community have created a hearsay because somebody beat a dead horse on an issue.
bite your tongue - to avoid talking
I told you my secret so you really need to bite your tongue for them not to know about it.
can't cut the mustard - someone who isn't adequate enough to compete or participate
My daughter can't cut the mustard every time she joins the beauty contest.
crack someone up - to make someone laugh
I'm such a comedian because I'm cracking someone up whenever they have problems.
cry wolf - intentionally raise a false alarm
My co-teacher became a cry wolf after telling to us about the photobooth.
dead ringer - 100% identical; a duplicate
My sons are really a dead ringer whenever their classmates see them at school.
dog days of summer - the hottest days of the summer season
Last April, we've experienced the dog days of summer with a temperature of 38 degrees.
down to the wire - something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds
The shopping time at the boutique downs to the wire before its closing time.
Elvis has left the building - the show has come to an end; it's all over
Elvis has left the building with the Shakespearean play shown at the CCP Main Theater.
everything but the kitchen sink - almost everything and anything has been included
I think our English teacher included everything but the kitchen sink in his quarterly exam.
finding your feet - to become more comfortable in whatever you are doing
I am finding my feet in teaching special children during my English and Filipino time.
flip the bird - to raise your middle finger at someone
Tony flipped the bird to his long-time ally, Bill.
funny farm - a mental institutional facility
Almost my entire stay at this funny farm brought so much problem to me.
get your walking papers - get fired from a job
My father got his walking papers away from that disorganized company.
give him the slip - to get away from; to escape
I gave my husband the slip just to have some fun with his friends.
he lost his head - angry and overcome by emotions
Since he lost his head, he can no longer retract his utterances anymore to his former friend.
high on the hog - living in luxury
I'm dreaming of living high on the hog with signature brands and luxury cars.
hold your horses - be patient
I need to hold my horses whenever I face my naughty students.
in the heat of the moment - overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment
I always end up smiling while in the heat of the moment with my crush.
keep your chin up - to remain joyful in a tough situation
I always keep my chin up whenever troubles comes along the way.
knee jerk reaction - a quick and automatic response
If somebody tickles me whether at my waist or on my feet, I always feel a knee jerk reaction.
know the ropes - to understand the details
The president of the class needs to know the ropes about their latest project for the school.
let sleeping dogs lie - to avoid restarting a conflict
The member-teachers of the organization will let the sleeping dogs lie for them to move on to their meeting.
let the cat out of the bag - to share a secret that wasn't supposed to be shared
Mario let the cat out of the bag to his best friend because he knows he trusts him so much.
make no bones about - to state a fact so there are no doubts or objections
The valedictorian made no bones about her report so her teacher did not ask her too much.
New York minute - it happens very fast
Every morning, my father is always on a New York minute in preparing his breakfast.
no holds barred - no rules of conduct, you can do anything
In our basketball game, we play it with no holds barred that is why we're on a big fight.
off color - look ill
Therese is off color today so she went to the clinic.
old flames die hard - very difficult to forget old things, especially the first love
My good friend used to talk about his old flames that can die hard and he won't get rid of it.
on a silver platter - giving something very easily
The best actor award was given to him on a silver platter.
parrot fashion - learning from word to word
My students understood the functions of nouns because I taught it in parrot fashion.
pay peanuts - the salary is very low
My current employer pays us in peanuts, therefore, I need to find a new job.
place in the sun - a place for wealth, happiness and whatever somebody is looking for in life
Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte is my favorite place in the sun.
poetry in motion - beautiful to watch
The whole opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 is poetry in motion.
queer street - someone in trouble, especially financial
Our family is now on a queer street so we need to move doubly.
queer the pitch - destroy or ruin a plan
We need to queer the pitch about the destruction of our place, therefore we could stay here longer.
raincheck - an offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later
The role of being gay was a raincheck by an award-winning actor, but surprisingly, he changed his mind.
Rome was not built in one day - wanting something to be completely properly, then its going to take time
The selling of our property in San Pedro will not be like Rome built in one day, so we need to wait.
sitting shotgun - riding in the front passenger seat of a car
My best buddy is always the sitting shotgun in our every month road trip.
smell a rat - to detect someone in the group who is betraying the others
I am smelling a rat in our meeting right now. If I were you, leave the vicinity once.
spitting image - the exact likeness or kind
My students in SPED are spitting image of my former students in the regular school.
the whole nine yards - everything; all of it
You have to take the whole nine yards just to make her say "yes!"
to steal someone's thunder - to take the credit for something someone else did
I really had a huge argument because she was able to stole someone's thunder and that's our film.
use your loaf - use your head; think smart
May I remind you that this is an oral examination so you really need to use your loaves.
water under the bridge - anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore
Our petty fights were all water under the bridge, and when we look back, we just laugh real hard.
when pigs fly - something that will never ever happen
I will surely win the grand prize in the lottery when all of these pigs fly.
Here you go! Idioms that you can use in your daily life, well if you can! Have fun using English 101!!!
toodles - goodbye or good riddance!!!
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